Orange Cinnamon Bread

According to the Random House dictionary, tradition is "the handing down of beliefs, legends and customs from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice." One Christmas tradition for the family in which I grew up was to have bake-your-own packaged orange cinnamon rolls for breakfast. The scent of these rolls has always meant Christmas to me, and to our now-20-something daughters.

But there's more than one way to enjoy the luscious combination of orange and cinnamon in a breakfast treat. I developed this recipe before my daughters were born and then sold the bread to a small local restaurant for more than two years.

In 1998, a version appeared in the local cookbook, This Place Called Home, A Kansas City Cookbook. I've recently decreased the amount of sugar from my original recipe and substituted whole wheat pastry flour for all-purpose flour. The decreased sugar also seems to help compensate for the slightly 'heavier' consistency of whole wheat pastry flour.

This Christmas, I will offer the bread as an orange-cinnamon alternative. Will my family accept it as a substitute for the packaged rolls that they know and love? Only taste will tell. I'll add an extra half teaspoon of cinnamon and also may add the filling that the cookbook authors suggested (see below) or drizzle a bit of icing on top.

In the meantime, ENJOY this 'traditional' recipe during your own holiday celebrations.

Orange Cinnamon Bread
Makes 8-10 slices

6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup + 1/4 cup sugar (VOE - when printed in a local cookbook, this recipe featured 1 cup +
                                                                                                                                  1/3 cup sugar)
2 eggs, beaten
1 orange rind, grated

1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (VOE - the cookbook recipe used all-purpose flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup plain yogurt (or light sour cream)
juice of one orange

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan. Cream together butter and 3/4 cup sugar. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and then add to butter/sugar mixture, combining well. Add orange rind and yogurt and stir to combine completely.

Pour batter into pan and bake 1-1 1/4 hours, until lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack. While the loaf bakes, combine juice of one orange and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour syrup over hot loaf. Cool completely before removing from pan. Keep refrigerated.

filling suggested in cookbook:

Combine 6 ounces of cream cheese with 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon grated orange zest. Pour two thirds of the batter in the prepared pan, top with the filling, then top with the remaining batter. Lightly swirl with a knife. Bake as directed until bread is lightly brown and firm to the touch.

Mini Cinnamon Almond Cheesecakes

It all started with a cinnamon-flavored cereal that my college-age daughter requested during her Christmas visit. Unaccustomed to buying this product, I didn't notice the box touted '75% less sugar,' and my daughter was less than enthusiastic about the change. Because I wanted to use up some of the cereal, I made a cheesecake crust with it:

Mini Cinnamon Almond Cheesecakes
Makes 12

3/4 cups Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup melted butter
cupcake papers

1 1/2 packages lowfat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk, beaten
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons milk

Grind cereal and almonds fine, in food processor. Combine thoroughly with butter and then press 1/12th of mixture into bottom of 12 cupcake papers.

Beat together cream cheese, flour, almond extract, cinnamon and sugar. Add eggs and beat together on low. Stir in milk by hand. Fill cupcake papers approximately 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool completely in pan. Remove papers and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Topping:

1/4 cup almonds, rough chopped
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon almond extract

Before serving cheesecakes, melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in sugar until dissolved. Stir in cinnamon and almonds, and combine thoroughly. Pour one teaspoon warm topping over each chilled cheesecake.

VOE - Add topping immediately after cooking as it hardens very quickly.
VOE - If you're not serving all 12 cheesecakes at once, save the topping and add 1/2 teaspoonfuls of butter to mixture while reheating, until topping becomes slightly liquid again.

Warm Apple Cinnamon Compote

Bored with my typical breakfast and wanting a new recipe to share, I created a healthy combination of fall's best apples, natural sweetener, fiber, and protein. It was filling and full of flavor.

If you're not a big cinnamon lover like I am, back off the amount by about 1/2 a teaspoon - but the honey does do a good job of counterbalancing this big flavor. There will also be leftover warm topping so feel free to add more to each serving.

Warm Apple Cinnamon Compote
serves 2

Apples:
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups thin-slice apples with skin on
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Melt butter over medium high heat. Add apples and coat thoroughly. Add honey and coat again. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until soft. Add cornstarch and stir until liquid thickens, 1-2 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and combine thoroughly. Remove from heat.

Warm topping:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oatmeal
2 tablespoons walnuts, broken in small pieces

Melt butter over medium high heat. Add oatmeal and walnut pieces, turn and cook on low for five minutes.

To serve:
2 teaspoons raisins
1 teaspoon honey

For each serving, place 1/2 cup of apple mixture in a small bowl. Sprinkle with one tablespoon warm topping and 1 teaspoon raisins. Drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon honey.

Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

For many years, most cookies I made were too hard and sometimes they even burned. Then I learned to stop baking them when only the edges had turned light brown and they were still soft on the pan. After that, I began experimenting with existing recipes. One cinnamon-flavored family favorite was called 'Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies' and appeared under the top of Quaker Oats boxes.

But I always seem to tinker with recipes, so I've made loads of adjustments with this one too. The result is less sugary than the original, with butter and oil standing in for margarine, and more fruit and fiber. See what you think about:

Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
makes 5-6 dozen 3-inch cookies

1 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup of vegetable oil *
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 cups uncooked oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned
1 1/2 cups raisins

Heat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Combine flour, walnuts, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix well; set aside. Beat together butter, oil, and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Add dry ingredients and combine. Stir in oats and raisins. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1-2 minutes and then remove from pan to wire rack or a countertop covered with foil.

*using olive oil adds fruitiness to the recipe